Imaging devices, including printers, copiers and various multi-function imaging devices, select and feed print media from an input source, commonly a media tray. The selection of a media source is commonly based upon a pre-selected default. For instance, a single print media tray printing device may be configured to select and feed print media from the single print media tray if and only if there is no media present in a manual feed port. A primary default for print media, in this situation, is for manual feed. In the case of a multiple print media tray printing device the primary default for print media may be for manual feed with a secondary default being for selection and feed of print media from the first print media tray and a tertiary default from a second print media tray and so on. In the event the first print media tray is empty, the imaging device controller will automatically choose the second print media tray regardless of the type of media loaded in the tray.
It may be undesirable for an imaging device to select, by default, a relatively high cost media in the event that a draft document is being printed for draft purposes.
It has previously been recognized that in situations in which a draft document is desired, it may be relatively more economical to print such documents employing a “draft toner mode”. In a draft toner mode, the toner density of printed documents may be varied by adjusting toner density level in order to obtain a desired draft toner density. Methods and apparatus for adjusting the density of digital imagery are known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,625 to Robertson et al., is directed to methods and apparatus for the economical use of toner or ink in high resolution printers which includes adjusting the density of digital imagery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,351 to Helterline, et al., is directed to a method and apparatus for regulating ink-jet printer print density to optimize resolution.
It would be desirable to provide a method for automatically selecting, or automatically changing, the default selection for a print media dependant upon a pre-selection of a toner mode setting. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a method for automatically selecting, or automatically changing the default selection to a draft media dependant upon the pre-selection of a draft toner mode setting. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a method for automatically selecting, a toner density setting dependant upon a pre-selection of a print media default setting. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a method for automatically selecting, or automatically changing the default selection to a draft toner density setting dependant upon the pre-selection of a draft print media default setting.